Elevator for mines and quarries



Sept. 26, 1933. R N, S'KRAINKA ETAL I 1,928,139

' ELEVATOR FOR MINES AND QUARRIES Filed Feb. 1, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1. F1 1,

P 1933- R. N. SKRAINKA El AL 1,928,139

ELEVATOR FOR MINES AND QUARRIES Filed Feb. 1, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fi5 E P 1933- R; N. SKRAINKA ET AL 1,928,139

ELEVATCR FOR MINES AND QUARRIES Filed Feb. 1, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 26, 1933 1,928,139 v ELEVATOR FOR MINES AND QUARRIES Ralph N.

Skrainka, Clayton, and Thomas Bush, Webster Groves, Mo;

Application February 1, 1932. Serial N0.'590,076

13 Claims. (O1. 214+120) This invention relates to elevators for conveying'ininerals from mines and quarries.

Objects of the invention are to provide an im proved elevator for conveying minerals from mines and quarries comprising a bucket for conveying the minerals, and mechanism for raising and lowering the bucket in the mine or quarry; to provide improved meansfor guiding the bucket during its ascent and descent; to provide means in connection with the bucket andthe mechanism for raising and lowering the same to prevent the bucket from overturning or dumping the contents therefrom until the bucket has reached the proper height; and to provide means for causing the bucket to tilt over and dump the contents therefrom when the bucket has reached.

the proper height.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved elevator, includinga pair of buckets for conveying the mineral from, the mine at tached to operating mechanism in spaced relationship, so that when one of the buckets is ascending the other is descending, and to provide the mineral on the operating mechanism. 7

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, reference being made to'the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view illustrating the invention mounted in a mine or quarry, f V V Fig. 2 is a view of a portion of the invention Fig. 5 is a cross sectionalview on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

line 66 of Fig. 5 showing the members for releasing the buckets at the proper time to discharge the contents.

Fig. '7 is a cross sectional view approximately on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig.v 8 is a detail view showing an ascending bucket and the member for supporting the bucket tilted or inclined'to position to dump the contents.

Fig. 9 is a similar 'view showing the bucket Fig. 10 is atop plan view of one of showing one of the buckets tilted or inclined to V v named bucket. Fig. 6 is-a detail sectional view taken on the the buckets;

" Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the bucket.

Fig. 12 is an end elevation of the bucket.

Fig. 13' is a vertical cross sectional view of the bucket approximately on the line 1'3'13 of Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the bucket with parts in section.

approximately on the inclining during its ascent.

According to the present invention, a frame 1 is located upon a rigid support 2 at the surface of the ground or at any desired location. The frame 1 is of rigid construction and is, above the mine or quarry. A pair of vertical channel beams 3 is mounted in appropriately spaced relationship in the frame 1 and another pair of similar channel beams 4 is mounted in another location in said frame. The lower ends of the channel beams 3 have diverging portions-fiand thelower ends of the channel beams 4 have similar di verging portions 6.

'A pair of parallel vertical wire ropes 7 extend within the channels of the channel beams} and have their upper ends attached to the upper ends of said channels. The lower ends of said ropes? 'are attached to anchors 8 rigid in the bottom or floor 9 of the mine or quarry. These ropes '7 are approximately parallel throughout their length andare held stretched.

A- similar pair of parallel wire ropes 10 extend in the channels of the beams '4' and downwardly to connection with anchors l1 rigid. with the bottom or floor 9 of the mine or quarry. The ropes 7 constitute guides for one of the buckets used'as anelevato'r to carrythe mineral from the mine or quarry and the ropes 10' function as guides for another bucket used for the same purpose and cooperative associated with the first In Fig. 3, the connection of one of the ropes '7 with the upper end of the channel beam 3 is shown. The rope I is extended through an eyelet- 12 extending through the upper end wall '13 of the channel member 3 and engaged by a'nut 14which is adjustable to vary the position of the eyelet 12 as required to increase or relaxthe tension of the rope 7 engaged with the eyelet 12. The rope '7 extends through the eyelet 12 and has 'a downwardly extended end portion 15 located adjacent to the rope '7; The rope"? and the end portion 15 thereof extend through a clamp member 16 supporting screw clamps 1'1 stantially rectangular vertical frame.

which may be adjusted to clamp and release the adjacent portions of the wire rope.

A rope 18 passes around a rotary drum 19 mounted on a shaft 20 rotated by a motor 21. One end of the rope 18 extends 'over'rollers 22 supported by the frame 1 and is connected with a bail 23 attached to a frame member 24. The

other endof the rope passes over a roller 25- supported by the frame 1 and is connected with a ball 26 on a frame 27. The frame 2'7is of the same construction as the frame ofwhich the frame member 24 is a part, so that a description of the frame including the member 24 will suffice for both. So too, the buckets that are mounted in these frames are duplicates andthe description of one and the mode of operation thereof will serve as adescription of the construction thereof, so that only the weight of the mineral of each load is carried by the motor. The frame of which the member 24 is apart is of rigid construction and includes two parallel vertical channel .side members 30 having their upper ends rigidly attached to the ends of the frame member 24, and their lower ends rigidly attached to a lower frame member 31,-thus providing a subverted channel member 32. (Fig. 13) telescopes on the channel member 31 and is rigidly attached thereto. Each of these frames supports a pivoted bucket for receiving and carrying the mineral from the mine or quarry. J

The bucket may be of any appropriate construction, a preferred form being shown'and comprising a plate shaped to provideside walls 33 and 34 connected by a bottom wall 35, and end walls 36 in connection with the ends of the side and bottom walls of the bucket. The bottom wall is attached to an, inverted channel member 3'1 rigid with a series of hinge members 38. The hinge members 38 are pivoted to hinge members 39in rigid connection. with the channel member 32 by pivots 40,,thus permitting the bucket to swing'from vertical to downwardly in clined position. Axle members 41 are, supported-by the end walls 36 adjacent to the wall 34 and a roller,42 is mounted on the outer'end of each of, said axles. 7 I r v Two pairs of gripper rollers are supported by each frame member 30. The-pair of rollers 43 (Fig. 15) are mountedon axle members 44, one vertically above the other. The pair of rollers 45 are mounted on axle members 46, one vertically above the other. The inner ends of the axle members 44 and 46 are supported by the frame members 30 and the outer ends of s'aidaxle members are connected by frame elements47, which are spaced from the frame members BOadistance sufficient to permit the guide ropes '7 to extend betweenflthe frame members 30 and 47,-respec-.

tively. The rol1e rs.43 aredisalined from the'rollers 45 but the peripheral portions of the rollers 43 extend beyond the vertical plane occupied by the adjacent peripheral portions of the rollers 45. The peripheries of the rollers 43 and 45 are grooved. The ropes 7, which are taut; extend between thepair of rollers 43 and'the pair of rollers An in- 45 and are bent by said rollers because of the disalinement of said rollers, as explained and as .shown in Fig. 15. Thus, the ropes 7 constitute effective guides for the buckets and the rollers 43 and 45 have a sort of gripping engagement with said ropes and roll along the ropes during the ascent and descent of the buckets.

The frame members 30 support pivots 48 on which latch members 49 are mounted. Each latch'member 49' has a book 50 on one end designedand adapted to be engaged with and released from a lug 51 rigid with and projecting from the adjacent wall36. When the hooks 50 are in engagement with the lugs 51, the bucket is supported in. an upright position and cannot tilt or incline laterally to dump the contents. However, when the hooks 50 are released from the lugs 51, the bucket will tilt or incline laterally and .dumpthe contents, the axles '41 and rollers 42 causing the bucket totilt and incline in that dijections 55, so that. when the latch members 49 engage the undersides of said tripping devices,

the latter remain stationary and disengage the,

hooks 50 from the lugs 51. This occurs about the time the bucketreaches its'upward extent of movement. Immediately the bucket is tilted 'or inclined laterally, the rollers 42 dropping onto idle, so that the bucket remains stationary until it is loaded. When the bucket is loaded, the

' motor 21' is operated in the required direction to raise the loaded bucket and thereby simultaneously lower the empty bucket. During the ascent of the loaded bucket, it is guided by the rollers 43 and 45 operating against the ropes 7. When the bucket reaches-the required height, the rollers' 43 and 45 and the bars 47 pass between the chute 57.

Then the motor 21 is reversed, causing the bucket that had been operated to dump its contents to descend and, the other bucket that had been loaded at the bottom of the mine or'quarry rto rise. The rollers 42' on the bucket that had been dumped operate along the tracks 56 and thereby raise the bucket to its vertical position in which the lugs 51 are engaged with the hooks 50., When this. occurs, the rollers 42 pass beyond g This equipment can be made and installed economically and operated repeatedlyandsatisfaetorily. "Variations in the construction, ar rangement and relationship of the parts comprising the invention may be made within the scope of equivalent limits without departure from the nature and principle thereof. We do not restrictom'sel'ves unessentialhr in any. particulars, but what. we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An elevator of thecharacter described com prising a container for receiving and elevating materials from a mine or quarry, a frame pivotal- 13; supporting said container, a rigid frame element rigidly attached to and'spacedfrom each end of said frame, a pair of flexible guide devices extending downwardly into the'mine or quarry between said rigidly attached frame elements and the" adjacent .endsof said'frame respectively, mechanism for: raising and lowering said frame and thereby said container, and pairs of spaced rollers rotatively supported between said frame elements and the ends of said frame respectively and engaging said guide devices;

2. An elevator of the character described. comprising a container for receiving and carrying materials from a mine or quarry, a. frame supporting said container and having ends, a rigid frame element rigidly attached to and spaced from each end of said frame, two pairs of rollers rotatively supported between each end of said frame and theadjacent frame element in a relationship in which the pairs of rollers are laterally spaced, and a pair of taut flexible guides extending downwardly into the mine or quarry, one of said guides extending between each of said frame elements and the adjacent end of said frame and extending between and engaging the corresponding pairs of rollers.

3. An elevator of the character described comprising a pair of flexible wire ropes, means holding said ropes in stretched parallel relationship extending downwardly into a mine or quarry, a frame mounted between said pair of ropes, rigid frameelements rigidly attached to and separated from said frame by spaces through which" said ropes extend, pairs of rollers rotatively mounted between said frame elements and said frame and embracing said respective ropes between them, a container supported by said frame, and mechanism for raising and lowering said frame and thereby said container.

4. An elevator of the character described comprising a pair of flexible wire ropes, means holding said ropes stretched taut in parallel relationship,a frame mounted between said ropes, rigid frame elements rigidly attached to and' separated from saidframe by spaces through which said ropes extend, rollers rotatively supported by said frame and said frame elements in said spaces 5. An elevator of the character described comprising a pairxof parallel taut ropes, a frame located between said ropes, rigid frame elements rigidly attached. to and separated from said frame by spaces through which said ropes extend,

pairs of rollers rotatively located in said spaces, means for rotatively supporting said rollers by said frame and said frame el'emcntsin engagement with opposite'sides of said ropes respectively, and'a container pivotally mounted in said frame between said ropes.

6. An elevator of the character described comprising two pairs of taut wire ropes, a frame mounted between each pair of said. ropes, rigid frameelements rigidly attached to'a'nd separated from said frames by spaces through which said ropesextend, pairs of rollers rotatively supported by said frames and said frame elements in said spaces and engaging opposite sides of said ropes and cooperating with said frames and said frame elements" to prevent said frame from moving laterally in any direction from between said ropes, and mechanism for raising one. and simultaneously lowering the other of said frames.

.7. An elevator of the character described comprising .two pairs of taut wire ropes, a frame mounted .between each pair of said ropes, rigid frame elements rigidly attached to and-separated from said frames by spaces through which said ropes extend, pairs of rollers rotatively supported by said frames and said frame elements in said spaces and "engaging opposite sides of said ropes and cooperating with said frames and said frame elements to prevent said frame from moving laterally in any direction from between said ropes, mechanism for raising one and simultaneously lowering the other of said frames, a container pivotally supported in each of said frames, and mechanism for tilting said containers to dump the contents therefrom. V

8; An elevator of the character described comprising a frame having rigid spaced side members and arigid lower end member rigidly united with the lower ends of said side members, an inverted channel member above and rigidly attached to said lower end member, a container between said side members having an open top and comprising downwardly diverging side walls connected at their lower edges and also having 'end walls in connection with the ends of said side walls, a rigid inverted channel member extending longitudinally of and attached to the under side of the connection uniting said side walls, hinges pivoting said last named inverted channel member to said first'named inverted.

channel member, devices for supporting said container in an upright position in said frame, means for raising said frame, and means for releasing said devices to permit lateral swinging movements of said frame.

9. An elevator of the character described comprising a container having downwardly diverging side walls, a bottom for said container united with said side walls,.end walls for said container united with said side walls and said bottom and cooperating therewith to form the container'with an open top, a rigid inverted channel member extending longitudinally of and attached to the under side of said bottom, an open frame in which said container is mounted having a. rigid inverted channel member at its lower end and rigid upr ght side members, hinges pivotally connecting said first named inverted channel member with said second inverted channel member, devices supported by said side members of said frame for supporting said container in an upright position and, being movable to .release said container, means. for raising and lowering saidrframe and thereby said container, and means for causing said container to swing laterally in one direction only when said devices arereleased.

10. An elevator of the character described comprising a container for receiving and elevating materials from amine or quarry,a frame supporting said container, a frame element rigidly attached to and spaced from each end of said prising a container for receiving and elevatingmateri'als from a mine or quarry, a frame pivotally supporting said container, a pair of flexible guide devices extending downwardly into the mine or quarry and between. which said frame is located'with the ends of said frame adjacent to said gufde devices respectively, mechanism for raising and lowering said frame, a pair of spaced rollers supported by each endof said frame. op-

erating against one side of the adjacent flexible guide-device, and an additional roller supported by each'end of said frame 'and operated against the opposite" side of the adjacent flexible guide device andholding said flexible guide devices flexed between said, pair of rollers.

- 12. An elevator of the character described comprisinga contain'erfor receiving and carrying materials from amine-0r 'quarry, a frame supporting said container and having rigid ends, a

pair of rollers rotatively supported by each end of said frame in a relationship in which one roller is'above the other, an additional roller rotatively supported by'each end'ofsaid frame, and a pair of taut flexible guides extending downwardly into the mine or quarry, one of said guides extending between one of said pairs'of rollers and said additional rollerandin close engaging contact therewith. -1

r 13. An elevator of the character described comprising a; pair of flexible wire ropes, means holding said ropes in stretched parallel relationship extending downwardly into'a mine or quarry, a frame mounted between and'having rigid ends adjacent to said'ropes, a pair of rollers rotatively supported by each rigid end of said frame and engagingone side of the adjacent rope, an additional roller rotatively supported by each rigid end of said frame and engaging the opposite side of the adjacent .rope, a container supported by 'saidframe, and mechanism for raising and lowering'saidframe and thereby saidcontainer.

' RALPH N. SKRAINKA.

THOMAS F.'BUSH. 

